Protests are here and like clockwork, the usual suspects are out to pull a fast one on them. Few days ago activist Anna Hazare, who led anti-corruption movement that culminated into Aam Aadmi Party, had announced his ‘one day fast’ from Ralegaon Siddhi to support the farmers.
Now, his protege Arvind Kejriwal, who suffers from extreme amount of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), has decided to go on a one-day fast too. He has asked AAP workers and supporters to also fast for a day and also urged public at large to fast for a day in ‘support of farmers’. The fast is to be observed on 14th December, 2020, Monday.
Kejriwal has pulled a fast one before
Kejriwal and his team have taken to such ‘fasts’ before. Just days after the Pulwama terror attack, Arvind Kejriwal decided to go on a fast. Not to protest against the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack or such but for ‘full statehood’ of Delhi. Except, just a day after India carried out airstrikes in Balakot, destroying Pakistan terror camps, Kejriwal ‘withdrew’ his fast because of ‘prevailing Indo-Pak situation’.
However, the ‘prevailing Indo Pak situation’ right after the terror attack did not come in way of Kejriwal when he announced the indefinite fast on Saturday, February 23, less than 10 days after the terror attack. Neither did the ‘prevailing Indo Pak situation’ come in way of him rushing to Puducherry to show solidarity by sitting on a dharna with Puducherry chief minister who was protesting against the implementation of the traffic safety rule of wearing a helmet.
Yes, he sat on a dharna against implementation of traffic safety rule.
The great ‘hunger strike’ of 2018
Prior to that, in June 2018, Kejriwal’s team of Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain had gone on a hunger strike after Delhi government officers objected to alleged roughing up of Delhi Chief Secretary by AAP leaders. At same time, Kejriwal had again started his campaign for separate statehood to Delhi claiming it to be a ‘freedom struggle’. A protest carried out by the party’s supporters displayed posters with highly insensitive slogans. At that time, Kejriwal was battling the bureaucracy, Prime Minister Modi, the BJP, the Lieutenant General of Delhi to paint himself as a victim while simultaneously conspiring to form an alliance with the Congress for 2019 General Elections.
Chaos reigned supreme in Delhi as AAP supporters struggled to hold protests without seeking any permission from Delhi Police.
When ‘fast’ made him CM for first time
Ahead of voting in Delhi 2013 Assembly elections, Kejriwal went on a fast.
On my way to poll booth to cast my vote. Will eat only after voting. Am on fast till then. Will u also do that? Eat only after u hv voted?
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 4, 2013
In December 2013, soon after formation of Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal fought Delhi state assembly elections. While BJP got 31 seats and was single largest party, it was short of majority. Aam Aadmi Party with 28 seats, formed minority government with Congress support. Kejriwal had based his entire election campaign to fight against the Congress’ corruption. For becoming the chief minister, he joined hands with the same Congress.
And soon after, he resigned as chief minister to contest elections against Narendra Modi from Varanasi who was the BJP’s PM candidate.
Kejriwal, of course, lost.
First fast as AAP Supremo
After breaking up with his one-time mentor Anna Hazare, Kejriwal, who had by then already formed the political party, decided to go on fast against the inflated electricity and water bills in Delhi.
Dear friends, m perfectly fine after my 15 day fast. Resting for a few days before I get back to work.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 9, 2013
His indefinite fast had lasted 15 days. Interestingly, Anna Hazare was also fasting at around same time and on a nation-wide fasting tour.
Pre-AAP fast
Before he formed political party and had to fast solo, he had Anna Hazare for company. In June-July 2012 he regularly went on fast.
Kejriwal defying modern science while fasting.
This time, however, Kejriwal is fasting against the central government’s farm laws after his own government notified one of the three laws he is protesting against. It is also just a coincidence that Punjab, where Aam Aadmi Party is the primary opposition, is having its legislative assembly elections in little over a year.
Tale as old as time.
